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STEPHEN  Bo  WEEKS 

CUSS  OF  1886;  PRIX  THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  UNIVERSCTY 


OF  THE 

TOOTRSimf  OF  HWI  CAMMUNA 

TIE  WEEKS  COIIJECTTON 

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THE  RELATIONS   BETWEEN 


THOSE   CABLED 


The  Beebe  and  the  Clark  Old-School  Baptists 


Krom  the  "Gospel,  Messenger" 
for  november,  1897. 


MY  RECENT  VISIT  TO  THE  KETOCKTON  AND 
EBENEZER  ASSOCIATIONS  IN  VIRGINIA— THE 
RELATIONS  BETWEEN  THOSE  CALLED  THE 
CLARK  AND  THE  BEEBE  BAPTISTS. 


Last  August  I  paid  a  third  visit  to  the  sound  and  excel- 
lent Baptists  of  the  above  Associations — the  Ketockton's 
131st  and  the  Ebenezer's  69th  Annual  Session.  The  Ke- 
hukee  Association,  which  is  only  one  year  older  than  the 
Ketockton,  corresponded  by  Minutes  with  the  Ketockton 
as  early  as  1798.  and,  after  many  years'  intermission,  re- 
sumed that  correspondence  in  1895,  and  at  the  same  time 
opened  correspondence  with  the  Ebenezer,  after  both  of 
these  Associations  had  adopted  resolutions  of  brotherly 
regard  for  the  North-Eastern  x\ssociations;  with  which  they 
had  suspended  correspondence  in  1852  and  1853,  and  with 
some  of  which  the  Kehukee  had  corresponded  since  1853. 
My  father,  Elder  C.  B.  Hassell,  in  his  part  of  the  Church 
History,  put  down  the  Ketockton  and  Ebenezer  among  the 
sound  and  orderly  Primitive  Baptist  Associations  in  Vir- 
ginia (page  925);  the  soundness  and  orderliness  of  the  old 
Ketockton,  from  its  start,  may  be  seen  in  four  of  the  most 
interesting  pages  in  the  Church  History  (916-920). 

Elder  M.  T.  Lawrence,  of  Hamilton,  N.  C,  and  Elder  A. 
J.  Moore,  of  Whitakers,  N.  C. ,  and  I  left  our  homes  August 
1 2th  to  visit  the  Ketockton  and  Ebenezer  Associations,  and 
returned  on  the  24th  of  August.  We  were  cordially  re- 
ceived by  the  members  of  these  two  Associations,  and  were 
rejoiced  to  find  them  contending  earnestly  for  the  faith  once 
for  all  delivered  to  the  saints — the  faith  maintained  for  132 
years  by  the  churches  of  the  Kehukee  Association  and  by 
all  sound  and  orderly  Primitive  Baptists  everywhere.  In 
contending  for  this  sound  and  ancient  faith  they  have,  espe- 
cially in  their  firm  encounters,  during  the  last  seven  years, 
with  the  pretentious  and  plausible  New  School  theory  (of 
means  in  regeneration)  revamped  by  Elder  E.  H.  Burnham, 
passed  through  hotter  fires  of  persecution,  for  the  truth's 
sake,  than  any  other  Primitive  Baptists,  not  similarly  sit- 
uated, in  America;  and  their  uncompromising  faithfulness 
in  this  sore  conflict  ought  to  be  joyfully  recognized  by  all 
their  brethren  in  this  country. 


Elder  John  Clark,  of  Front  Royal,  Va.,  in  his  "Expos- 
ure of  Heresies  "  published  in  1873,  saYs  0n  Chapter 
Fourth,  pages  24-32)  that  at  the  session  of  the  Ketockton 
iVssociation,  held  with  Water  Lick  Church  in  1850,  Elder 
R.  C.  Leachman,  of  the  Corresponding  Meeting  of  Vir- 
ginia, declared  from  the  stand  that  Christ  would  not  come 
again  to  this  earth  ;  that  He  came  once,  and  then  had 
something  to  do,  but  having  finished  that  work,  He  would 
not  come  again.  The  Ketockton  Association,  held  with 
Zion  Church  in  1852,  condemned  as  heretical  this  denial  of 
the  second  coming  of  Christ  to  the  world,  and  also  the 
affirmations  that  "the  life-giving  Spirit  of  God  is  a  created 
existence";  that  "the  Son  of  God,  as  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  is  a  creature  " ;  and  that  "when  Christ  died  and 
lay  in  the  grave  three  days  and  three  nights,  there  was  not 
a  living  saint  in  heaven  or  upon  earth."  Elder  Clark  says 
that,  at  this  session  in  1852,  three  preachers,  Elders  Trott, 
Leachman,  and  Klipstine  (of  the  Corresponding  Meeting 
of  Virginia)  and  four  churches  withdrew  from  the  Ketock- 
ton Association  on  account  of  the  above  declaration,  assert- 
ing that  they  were  cut  off  thereby,  and  that  they  called  a 
meeting  at  Ebenezer  Meeting  House,  and  affirmed  that  they 
did  not  hold  the  doctrines  condemned  by  the  Ketockton 
Association,  and  yet  passed  resolutions  of  non-fellowship 
for  that  Association  !  At  its  session  in  1853,  the  Ketock- 
ton Association  (understanding  that  the  Warwick  Associa- 
tion, of  New  York,  in  its  Circular  Letter  of  1852,  affirmed 
that  Christ,  as  Mediator,  was  neither  God  nor  man,  and 
dropped  from  its  Minutes  the  Hardiston  Church  for  con- 
demning such  a  sentiment),  discontinued  correspondence 
with  the  Warwick  Association,  and  suspended  correspond- 
ence with  the  Baltimore,  Delaware,  Delaware  River,  Che- 
mung, and  Lexington  Associations,  not  charging  the  last 
five  Associations  with  holding  the  sentiments  and  approv- 
ing the  conduct  of  the  Warwick  Association  and  of  the 
four  non-fellowshipping  churches  mentioned  above,  but 
suspending  such  correspondence  because  the  Ketockton 
Association  could  not  consistently  hold  fellowship  and  cor- 
respondence with  those  who  held  in  their  fellowship  and 
correspondence  the  Warwick  Association  and  the  Pastors 
(Elders  Trott,  Leachman,  and  Klipstine)  of  the  churches 
referred  to,  who  were  believed  to  have  been  the  instruments 


of  their  withdrawal  and  declaration  of  non-fellowship  for 
the  Ketockton  Association.  The  Ebenezer  Association,  at 
its  session  in  1853,  discontinued  correspondence  with  the 
Corresponding  Meeting  of  Virginia,  the  Baltimore,  War- 
wick, Delaware,  and  Delaware  River  Associations,  not  for 
believing,  but  for  tolerating  and  fellowshipping  those  who 
declared,  that  "  the  Eternal  life  died  on  Calvary, — was  a 
created  or  produced  existence, — that  the  Son  of  God  is  a 
creature, — that  there  is  no  change  wrought  in  the  soul  in 
regeneration, — that  the  life-giving  Spirit  of  God  is  a  created 
existence,  and  many  other  kindred  heresies  recently  preached 
and  published  by  professed  Old  School  Baptists."  The 
members  of  the  Corresponding  Meeting  of  Virginia,  and 
of  the  Warwick,  Baltimore,  Delaware,  and  Delaware  River 
Associations  said,  and  still  say,  that  the  Ketockton  and  Ebe- 
nezer Associations  misunderstood  and  misrepresented  their 
sentiments  on  the  above  subjects;  that  a  very  few  of  their  min- 
isters may,  at  times,  have  said  or  written  some  such  things, 
but  that  such  sentiments  were  not  and  are  not  endorsed 
or  accepted  by  those  Associations  or  their  churches.  From 
my  own  acquaintance,  for  thirty  years,  with  the  ministers 
of  the  North-Eastern  Associations  and  with  their  writings, 
I  can  say  that  the  most  of  the  sentiments  above  mentioned 
and  condemned  were  advocated  (apparently,  obscurely,  and 
confusedly)  by  only  one,  two,  or  three  of  those  ministers, 
all  of  whom  have  long  since  died,  and  that  the  most  of 
those  sentiments  are  not  held  now  by  any  living  person  in 
the  Old  School  Baptist  ranks;  and  that  only  one  of  those 
sentiments,  and  that  in  a  modified  form,  is  now  held  by 
our  North-Eastern  ministers,  and  this  is  that,  not  in  the 
nature,  but  only  in  the  condition,  of  the  soul  is  there  a 
change  wrought  in  regeneration.  They  admit  that  there  is 
a  wonderful  change  in  the  human  being  who  is  born  again, 
and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  sole  author  of  this  change, 
and  that  the  change  consists  in  the  impartation  of  a  new 
and  heavenly  and  holy  life  or  nature  or  principle  to  the 
quickened  sinner,  which  principle  will  continually  war 
with  the  old  evil  fleshly  principle,  until  the  latter  is  sub- 
dued and  forever  done  away  with  at  death  and  in  the  resur- 
rection. Our  brethren  of  the  Ketockton  and  Ebenezer 
Associations  prefer  to  say  that  the  soul  is  quickened  and 
made  holy  in  regeneration,  as  the  body  will  be  in  the  resur- 


rection,  at  the  same  time  admitting  that  the  flesh  or  sin 
remains  in  the  body  until  death.  It  seems  more  scriptural 
and  correct  to  me  to  say,  that  regeneration  takes  place  in 
the  soul  or  spirit,  and  that  sin  also  remains  in  the  soul  or 
spirit  till  death.  But  in  all  these  three  different  methods 
of  expression,  the  substantial,  fundamental  meaning  seems 
to  me  to  be  precisely  the  same,  so  that  either  one  of  these 
expressions  is  perfectly  allowable  to  those  who  may  prefer 
it,  without  any  weakening  of  the  bonds  of  love  and  fel- 
lowship. 

In  August,  1895,  the  Ketockton  and  Ebenezer  Associa- 
tions unanimously  adopted  the  following  resolution  : 

"Whereas,  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  prays  that  His  people 
should  be  one,  as  He  and  the  Father  are  one,  and, 

Whereas,  Discordant  and  extreme  elements  (those  ad- 
vocatingeternal-vital-unionism  and  those  advocating  means- 
ism)  have  been  separated  from  our  North-Bastern  brethren 
and  ourselves;  and, 

Whereas,  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  great  body 
of  those  brethren  are  agreed  with  us  in  regard  to  salvation 
by  grace  alone,  and  the  divinity  and  second  coming  of 
Christ,  and  the  change  in  the  soul  in  regeneration,  and  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the  eternal  judgment  of  God, 
consigning  the  wicked  to  everlasting  punishment,  and  wel- 
coming the  righteous  to  everlasting  happiness,  and  all  other 
cardinal  points  of  the  Old  School  or  Primitive  Baptist  faith; 
therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  take  pleasure  in  declaring  our  hearty 
gospel  fellowship  for  our  North- Eastern  brethren  and  all 
other  Old  School  or  Primitive  Baptists  who  agree  with  us 
in  regard  to  these  fundamental  points  of  doctrine,  and  we 
hereby  cordially  invite  these  brethren  to  visit  us  and  to  be- 
hold our  faith  and  order  in  the  gospel,  and  their  ministers 
to  attend  our  meetings  and  preach  for  us." 

By  "  eternal  vital-unionism  "  above  is  meant,  the  doc- 
trine of  the  eternal — vital — union  of  Christ  and  His  people,  in 
the  sense  that  they  are  as  eternal  and  uncreated  as  He,  and 
had  an  actual  existence  as  eternal  children,  eternal  spirits, 
before  the  beginning  of  the  world;  this  doctrine  was  appa- 
rently maintained  thirty  years  ago,  both  by  tongue  and 
pen,  by  some  brethren  in  the  fellowship  of  the  North - 
Eastern  Associations,  but  not  one  person  in  their  fellowship 


6 


now  maintains  such  a  doctrine;  they  all  say  that  Christ  as 
God  is  the  only  eternal,  uncreated  Being,  and  that  He  gives 
His  eternal  life  to  all  His  elect,  and  is  Himself  their  Head 
and  Life. 

In  August,  1896,  the  Bbenezer  Association  unanimously 
adopted  the  following  resolution: 

"Whereas,  We,  the  Ebenezer  Association,  have  been 
estranged  from  our  brethren  of  the  Eastern  Associations, 
and  it  seems  to  us  desirable,  and  for  the  good  of  Zion  and 
the  glory  of  God,  that  this  estrangement  should  cease,  we 
feel  willing  to  do  our  part  towards  a  restoration  of  our 
former  brotherly  relations;  therefore, 

^Resolved,  That  whatever  causes  of  difference  may  have 
once  existed,  we  believe  that  we  are  now  one  with  our 
brethren  of  the  Eastern  Associations,  and  with  the  breth- 
ren generally  in  their  correspondence;  we,  therefore,  desire 
and  ask  for  a  renewal  of  our  former  relations  with  them. 

'  ''Resolved,  That  we  send  each  of  these  Associations  a  copy 
of  these  resolutions  and  ask  them  to  receive  and  consider 
them  in  the  same  spirit  of  brotherly  love  that  actuates  us, 
as  we  hope,  in  sending  them. 

^Resolved,  That  we  solicit  a  reply  from  these  Associa- 
tions, and  ask  as  many  as  can  to  come  to  meet  and  mingle 
with  us,  either  in  visiting  our  churches  or  Associations  to 
see  whether  or  not  we  are  really  one  in  faith  and  practice." 

And  in  August,  1897,  the  Ketockton  Association  unani- 
mously adopted  this  resolution: 

"Whereas,  The  union  and  fellowship  of  God's  chil- 
dren are  greatly  to  be  desired,  not  only  for  our  comfort  and 
enlargement  in  the  gospel,  but  also  that  we  may  properly 
witness  to  the  world  our  faith  in  Jesus :  Therefore  we 
affectionately  invite  all  ministers  of  the  Primitive  Baptist 
faith,  including  those  of  the  North-Eastern  Associations, 
to  visit  and  to  preach  among  us,  with  a  view,  if  we  are 
found  to  be  agreed,  to  brotherly  relations  between  us." 

I  have  before  me  the  replies  of  the  Virginia  Correspond- 
ing Meeting,  and  the  Baltimore,  Delaware,  Delaware  River, 
and  Warwick  Associations  to  the  above  resolution  of  the 
Ebenezer  Association.  The  four  last  Associations  (the 
Baltimore,  Delaware,  Delaware  River,  and  Warwick)  con- 
sider that  the  expression  of  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  Ebe- 
nezer Association  for  a  renewal  of  brotherly  relations  is  a 


virtual  withdrawal  of  all  former  acts  of  non-fellowship, 
and  they  cordially  respond  to  the  invitation  of  the  Ebene- 
zer  Association  to  meet  with  them,  as  opportunity  in  Prov- 
idence may  occur,  for  kindly  and  candid  exchange  of 
views,  trusting  that  it  may  be  found  that  they  are  really 
one  in  heart  and  mind,  in  experience,  and  in  the  faith  of 
the  gospel.  The  Delaware  River  and  Warwick  Associa- 
tions say  that  they  are  not  aware  that  they  have  in  any  wise 
departed  from  the  faith  of  their  fathers,  as  held  and  de- 
clared by  them  when  they  withdrew  from  those  who  were 
carried  away  by  the  false  doctrine  and  practice  of  Andrew 
Fuller,  and  that  upon  those  principles  they  understand  that 
the  Bbenezer  Association  formerly  stood,  and  they  are  glad 
to  hope  and  believe  that  they  still  stand;  and  they  very 
properly  add :  "  If  individuals  among  them  have  said  things 
contrary  to  those  principles  of  doctrine,  we  would  not  there- 
fore accuse  them  as  a  body  of  unsoundness,  and  we  think 
that  we  have  a  right  to  ask  of  them  the  same  kindly  judg- 
ment." 

The  Virginia  Corresponding  Meeting  reply  to  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  Ebenezer  Association  as  follows:  "We  have  at 
no  time  declared  non-fellowship  for  them,  nor  have  we 
made  any  point  of  doctrine  held  by  them,  and  not  by  us, 
a  test  of  fellowship;  but  as  they  have  so  declared  against 
us  for  doctrine  we  hold,  and  for  some  we  do  not  and  never 
did  hold,  it  is  but  reasonable  that  they  should  rescind  all 
resolutions  of  non-fellowship  on  their  books  against  us, 
and  cease  charging  us  with  heresies,  and  making  a  test  of 
fellowship  of  certain  points  of  doctrine  against  us  which 
our  correspondents  do  not  do,  and  strife  will  be  at  an  end, 
and  peace  and  fellowship  will  follow." 

In  answer  to  this  declaration  of  the  Virginia  Correspond- 
ing Meeting  it  may  be  said,  in  regard  to  the  latter  sugges- 
tions, that  it  does  indeed  seem  reasonable  that  charges  of 
heresy  and  tests  of  fellowship  unknown  among  other  Prim- 
itive Baptists,  should  be  abandoned  between  Associations 
and  churches  seeking  brotherly  relations  with  each  other; 
but,  in  regard  to  the  former  suggestion,  that  all  resolutions 
of  non-fellowship  on  their  books  should  be  rescinded,  it 
may  be  said  that,  as  I  have  shown  in  this  article,  the  first 
personal  resolutions  of  non-fellowship,  on  these  matters  of 
difference,   were  passed  by  four  churches  of  the  Virginia 


Corresponding  Meeting,  which  ought,  therefore,  to  be  re- 
scinded first,  if  other  similar  resolutions  must  be  rescinded; 
and,  though  the  Ketockton  and  Ebenezer  Associations  dis- 
continued or  suspended  correspondence  with  the  North- 
Bastern  Associations,  they  did  not  declare  non-fellowship 
for  them,  but  qnly  for  certain  doctrines  which  they  allowed 
to  be  preached  among  them,  and,  if  they  should  rescind 
these  resolutions,  they  would  seem  to  declare  fellowship  for 
what  they  still  consider  erroneous  teachings  or  statements; 
and,  finally  (and  this,  it  seems,  ought  to  settle  the  matter), 
the  Baltimore,  Delaware,  Delaware  River,  and  Warwick 
i\ssociations  regard  the  recent  resolution  of  the  Ebenezer 
Association  as  a  virtual  withdrawal  of  the  application  of 
the  former  non-fellowship  resolutions  to  themselves,  and 
they  cordially  reciprocate  the  desire  of  the  Ebenezer  Asso- 
ciation for  mutual  visitation  with  a  view  to  the  restoration 
of  brotherly  relations.  The  resolutions  passed  in  1895 
and  1897  by  the  Ketockton  Association  requested  similar 
friendly  visits  from  the  brethren  and  ministers  of  the 
North -Eastern  Associations. 

I  am  sure  that  I  express  the  sentiments  of  the  Kehukee 
Association  and  of  Primitive  Baptists  in  general  through- 
out the  United  States,  when  I  say,  that  we  earnestly  hope 
that  these  long-separated  brethren  will  visit  each  other  in 
humility  and  love,  and  find  that  they  are  agreed  in  the 
fundamental  points  of  doctrine,  and  will  hereafter  dwell 
together  in  peace  and  fellowship.  Thus  will  the  body  of 
Christ  be  edified,  and  God  will  be  glorified. 

Sylvester  Hassell. 


{The  Gospel  Messenger  is  published  monthly,  at  $1  a  year,  by 
Elder  Sylvester  Hassell,  at  Williaraston,  Martin  County,  N.  C] 


HHH 


1    "     '        "lISs 


00033957807 

FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


Form  A/o.  4-368,  flev.  8/95 


